In any language, it’s good to know how to explain the reasons for things. It’s great to say j’aime la langue française (I love the French language), but it’s even better to be able to say why (pourquoi) you love it. This lesson will show you some words that all answer the question, Pourquoi?

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The most basic response to "why" is "because," and the most basic translation of "because" in French is parceque. This Frenchman in New York City uses parceque to explain why the Big Apple’s Bastille Day celebration makes him feel at home:

In English, "because" can refer either to the reason behind something or the cause of something. The difference is subtle, but the French might help clear it up. Whenever you want to say "because of" something, use à cause de instead of parce que:

You can also translate car more formally as "for" ("I’m going to the market, for I noticed a little dress"). Incidentally, the French word for a car that you drive is unevoiture, but attention: uncar (or unautocar) is also a vehicle in French—it means "coach," as in the kind of bus you might take on a long journey (a city bus is called unautobus).

The final French expression for giving a reason conveniently includes the word "reason" (raison) within it. The expression is en raison de, usually translated as "due to":